Today's the Day
by Blue Deity
Summary: A Phoenix and Maya Confession Story, with a twist. Angsty I guess.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Ace Attorney Series or any of its characters. All elements belong to Capcom.

**Notes:** Another one shot from your friendly neighborhood, Phoenix/Maya shipping Blue Deity. As the summary says, this is your standard Phoenix/Maya confession tale, with a twist. Review if you feel like it, constructive criticism is appreciated.

_**Today's the Day**_

The sound of his alarm clock woke him up. He glared at the digital numbers for a second; nine already, it had to be lying, didn't it.? With an exhausted groan he threw his hand unto it to silence the obnoxious sound it was making. Phoenix hadn't slept well the night before, his mind was too troubled, he had plans for today, plans that would surely alter his life as he knew it. Wishing it was still one o'clock and he could go back to sleep, Phoenix tore himself out of his bed and went into his bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face before looking his reflection in the eyes, he looked absolutely ragged.

"This is it Wright.!" He said to himself. "This is the day that you finally tell Maya." He set about shaving and washing and gelling his hair, if Maya left Kurain at eight like she said was going to, she'd probably be walking in through the door at around ten thirty so he wanted to be ready. He'd wanted to tell her now for so long, but just never had the courage, fearful as to how his announcement would affect their friendship, which he deeply cherished. Besides, what would Mia say. His mentor had left her little sister in his care, he was supposed to take care of her and look out for her, not this! He could easily imagine her coming back down from Heaven just to beat him. There had been times when he thought he finally worked up the strength necessary, but one look at Maya's big doe eyes would make him remember what he was risking and he'd falter.

"Not today." He muttered walking back into his room to get dressed. "I'm not wimping out today." He had been planning this for awhile, well, since she went back to Kurain a month ago at least. He called her up a few days ago:

"Hi Maya"

"Hey Nick, man is it good to hear your voice again." She exclaimed.

"We were only talking a couple of days ago." Phoenix chuckled.

"Yeah, but these old morons here in Kurain, they always talk down to me you know, you and Pearly have the only friendly voices I've been hearing lately" Maya explained.

"Oh, well, are you still coming into town on Friday?"

"Are you kidding?! Of course I am, I've already packed everything up! I'll be on the first train out."

"Well, good. Listen Maya, we're kind of between cases right now, so I was wondering if maybe you'd just like to spend the day together on Friday." He said grinning nervously, even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"What, really Nick?!"

"Well, y-yeah. We'll do whatever you want, what do you say?"

"Sounds great Nick." She replied in delight. "Oooohhhh, I'm even more excited now!"

"Hmmm. Well, I guess I'll let you go, it's getting kind of late." Phoenix said with a yawn. " And I'm getting tired".

"Oh okay." Maya said happily. "See you on Friday Nick."

"Yeah, see you."

That was the plan, show Maya a good time, then tell her. A simple plan, and it depended entirely on his resolve, but it was the best he could come up with. As the day approached he found this essential resolve beginning to crack, so he spent some time at Edgeworth's office on Thursday, hoping his friend could help him:

"Wright, I honestly cannot fathom why you persist in burdening me with your petty problems." Edgeworth sighed looking across his desk at his friend. "Unlike some people in this room, I am very busy."

"This isn't a 'petty problem' Edgeworth, it's Maya." Phoenix insisted. "I-I just don't know if I can do it."

"Hmph!" Edgeworth sniffed. "Were it I, I would have done it ages ago."

"Yeah well, I'm not you ." Phoenix replied, the frustration evident in his voice

"True, true. The only thing I can tell you is that this is something you need to do. This state you're in now is not only damaging your psyche, but it could also hurt you career, andyour health as well. Besides Wright, what's the absolute worst that could happen?" He asked with a smirk and an arrogant shrug.

"I might not ever see her again."

"Hmm, that may be a chance you have to take." Edgeworth said as he picked up a pen and returned to the paperwork on his desk. "Now, if you'll excuse me Wright, I have work to do."

"Yeah, thanks Miles." Phoenix left Edgeworth's office and began to walk home. "Ergghh!" He growled to himself. "Edgeworth's right, sometimes there are things you just have to do, no matter the consequences."

* * *

After he was dressed, Phoenix slumped down on the couch and looked around his office. On his desk were several folders each containing some important paperwork, but he had no idea where anything was because of Maya's inability to file properly. The sound of the door opening grabbed his attention.

"Hiyee Nick!" Maya squealed bursting into the room like only she could. "Did you miss me?"

"O-Of course." He said standing. Maya lay her bags on the floor and spread her arms out toward him.

"C'mon, give me a hug." Phoenix did as she asked. Maya squeezed up against him as tight as she could. "Ohhh, Nick it's so good to be back, I really missed you."

"Y-Yeah, I missed you too." He said, pulling away.

"So, how do I look?" Maya asked. She spun around so he could see what she was wearing, it must have been a new outfit as he had never seen her wear it before, a light blue sun dress with a matching hat that did not lie on her head properly, most likely because of that odd little bun she always wore her hair in. After she had completed her spin she looked up at him with great expectation.

"Oh uh you look nice." Phoenix muttered scratching the back of his head. Maya's expression quickly changed to one of annoyance.

"'Nice', that's all you have to say?" She said with her cheeks puffed out. "I wore my nicest clothes today, I wanted to look special for you, you know, just getting back." she trailed off.

"I'm sorry Maya, you look very pretty."

"Y-You're not just saying that are you Nick?" Maya's cheeks were reddened slightly and she looked a little embarrassed, her annoyance all but evaporated.

"Of course not." He replied smiling. A broad smile came to her mouth as she jumped at him and gave him another hug. "Oh nuts!" He thought to himself as the young woman cuddled into him. "I-I can't do it! I can't do it, not now, not today, not after this! NO!" A part of his mind shouted. "No, I-I have to, I can't keep at this. Even if she slaps me and goes back to Kurain for good, I'm going to tell her." He looked down at her with his inner strength restored.

"Hey Nick, something on your mind?" She asked after she had pulled away.

"Maya there's something I've really got to tell you." He blurted with all the seriousness he could muster.

"Wh-what is it Nick?" Maya asked.

"I-I-I...." As quickly as it had come Phoenix's resolve left him. Arms falling limply to his sides, Phoenix bowed his head in defeat. "It can wait."

"Humph." Maya sniffed. "Well alright, but you have to promise to tell me later." Phoenix smiled. This was it, an out, an excuse.

"Deal."

"Good, now c'mon, I've got a lot of stuff in mind for us to do today and since you're to stupid to get a driver's licence, we're gonna have to get started if we're gonna get it all done" She wrapped her arms around his and dragged him out of the apartment.

* * *

When Maya had said she had a lot planned, she meant it. They went shopping, to the movies, swimming and of course, for burgers. Maya was her usual exuberant self, enjoying every minute of it, but Phoenix was completely miserable, building himself up several times to do what he had to, only for a look from Maya, or the sound of her laughter, to make him crack again. The sun was beginning to set beneath the LA skyline when they reached their final destination of the day, the park.

"Hey, Nick, think we can sit for a bit, my feet are killing me." She complained, motioning towards a nearby picnic table.

"Sure." Phoenix shrugged as they made their way over to it.

"I had a blast today Nick." Maya said as they sat. "I-I really hope we can do it again sometime."

"Me too." Phoenix replied earnestly. Maya blushed and looked away from him, down to the surface of the table.

"S-so what was it you wanted to tell me this morning?" She asked meekly. Phoenix froze for a second before taking a deep preparatory breath. This was it, he promised.

"Maya." He began in a soft voice. "Th-there's something I've been wanting, no, needing to tell you for a long time." He swallowed hard and looked at her to gauge her reaction, she had leaned forward, her eyes filled with anticipation. Why did this have to be so hard. Without thinking he reached over the table and took her hand in his. Her blush deepened. "Maya, y-you know how imp-important you are to me, your friendship means the world to me, and I don't want to lose that." Maya managed to push a weak smile past through her blushing.

"C-C'mon N-Nick, we'll always be friends, best friends. Nothing's gonna change that." She said, her obvious nervousness making her voice crack.

"Th-that's good, makes this a little easier." He removed his hand from hers sat, back and shook his head. He could feel beads of sweat forming on his temples. "Maya, I-I.." He croaked, he was beginning to falter again. The mixed look of embarrassment and anticipation on Maya's face was not helping. "NO!!" That voice in his mind shouted again. "You are going to tell her right now!! For God's sake, she's nineteen years old, there's no reason for you to be intimidated by her!!!" Then Phoenix's mind began to flood with the reasons that had lead him to conclude that this was the only way. "M-Maya?"

"Y-Yeah Nick?"

"Maya Fey, I-I..." And then the flood gates opened and he blurted the words that he didn't think he'd ever have the courage to say.

"Maya, you're FIRED!!!!"

**END**


End file.
